Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Club will be keen to hit the ground running at the start of the new year.

H&B will return to Kent One action after the festive break with a trip to Lordswood tomorrow (Saturday).

We’re looking forward to some happy results in the second half of the season.

Chris Brooks

The Ark William Parker Academy-based club lies fourth in the table having won seven of its first 11 matches, including four of its last five before Christmas.

“I think we’ve had a good run in the first half of the season, but the team’s also gelled during that period as well,” said H&B head coach Chris Brooks, who is sticking with his season-long target of a top four finish.

“I’m looking forward to some pretty confident displays in the second half now that we’ve had half the season with the current line-up. We’re looking forward to some happy results in the second half of the season.”

H&B crushed a heavily depleted Lordswood side 104-0 in the second game of the campaign, but a far sterner test is likely this time around. Lordswood are 11 points and three places behind H&B.

“Lordswood away are always a very different prospect than at our place,” Brooks continued. “That’s one we would like to win because we’ve got some toughies coming up, but Lordswood are capable of decent results and the occasional upset when they’ve got their selection firing.”

H&B will be without captain Jimmy Adams for the second successive game so management of the lineout will be a key area of focus. The squad returned to training on Tuesday and yesterday after enjoying some time off over Christmas.

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